Meet Monjoa Likine | Storyteller, Photographer, Business Woman

We had the good fortune of connecting with Monjoa Likine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monjoa, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?

When I first started, I kept everything separate. The person I was at home was different than who I was at work. After a while, I felt burnt out and dissociated from myself.

The way you do one thing is the way you do everything. If I’m unorganized at home, it seeps into how I organize at work. If I don’t build genuine connections with my peers, it’s harder to foster relationships with people who could become friends outside of work.

I’m not saying to force anything but to be true to yourself in all areas of life. I found a lot of benefit in using improvement in one area to elevate myself in another. Other than setting strict boundaries with rest and time, I’m pretty fluid.

In all, I’ve found that work-life balance isn’t a complete separation of personal and business, but a successful integration of the two.

What should our readers know about your business?

Fako Media is dedicated to telling meaningful and diverse stories for brands and people.

We not only believe in the power of storytelling but also in the need for diverse voices and perspectives. We’re unique in our ability to lean on a diverse network of media specialists, creatives, and business professionals.

I’m still at the start of my business journey but have built a solid vision of what my business will grow into. While we currently only offer photography and social media management, I have plans to build out a full-service media company.

If you’re also new, use the time to get crystal clear about the problem you’ll solve in the world and how you want to go about it. Don’t compare your journey to someone else’s or try to put yourself into a perfect box. Explore, imagine, innovate. Try everything, narrow it down, and then build up.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Oh, I love and am overwhelmed by this question! There’s a lot of great stuff in Michigan and no way can I include an entire itinerary into one paragraph, so I’ll name five top of minds.

1. The Detroit Riverfront: It’s a great path for runners, cyclists, and of course skaters. Robert C Valade Park is great for families and people-watching. The Aretha Franklin Amphitheater has concerts right off the water. Everyone drives their fancy cars and bikes along the streets in the summer. It’s very lively.
2. Spot Lite Detroit: I’ve never had a bad time at Spot Lite. They make it a point to feature local artists and vendors and have fun, themed events throughout the year. The best part of Spot Lite is the cultivated space of safety and community.
3. Sweetwater Tavern OR They Say: I’m a wings girl so I had to name the best spots in the city to get wings. I keep going back in forth between these two so you’ll have to decide for yourself.
4. Pictured Rocks: There are some decent hiking spots in Southeast Michigan, but the upper peninsula is like another world. Pictured Rocks is a beautiful hike filled with deep green forestry and leads you to a beach off Lake Superior. Also, there’s nothing like kayaking around the rock formations.
5. Mural Walk: I’m sure that’s not the name of it, but I don’t know what the official one is. We have a lot of street artists in Detroit so you need to check out their work. I would park my car near Chroma and walk that block in New Center.

I have a LOT of suggestions so if you ever want any specific recommendations, shoot me a message. I named a lot of places in Detroit, but Michigan is so much bigger.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I have a couple of shoutouts! The first has to go to my family, especially my parents and close friends. There’s nothing like sitting in the living room with loved ones, just existing, after a long stressful week. They remind me of who I am and what I’m capable of. They motivate me, challenge me, and give me the fuel I need to go after my goals every day.

My second shoutout goes to Black Women Photographers, a community meant to uplift, teach, and most importantly, get Black Women hired by respectable brands. Since I joined earlier this year, I’ve learned so much and have connected with some seriously talented people.

Finally, shout out to David Goggins because his book ‘You Can’t Hurt Me’ completely shifted my perspective on determination, independence, and persistence. I reference it a lot!

Website: fakomedia.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/monjoa_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monjoa

Image Credits
The photos of me were done by Lauren Giuliani.